Smog - Tired Tape Machine (1990)

Real great lo-fi, indie, tape-fuckery masterpiece right here. Not really going to be the clean indie rock one would come to expect from him later in his career, nor is it the almost country-like sound that came even later. It's a real demented, strange, and at times even eerie album, way more enthralling than his other stuff. I'd even go as far as to say that it's definitely his best album in my opinion, it's severely underrated.

Loving the fables of the times
Learning the fables of the times
Teaching me the fables of the times
I don't think I miss much

Federal Duck - Federal Duck (1968)

Nice surreal late 60's psych. The album is so pleasant and laid back and just sounds like one big dream. Even while the album has quite a few upbeat songs, all of the tracks just have this kind of dark undertone to them for whatever reason. It's an interesting blend of blues, folk, and psych rock, and it comes out perfectly, definitely worth checking out.

Tell me little bird what songs you say

I want to know your songs it's time I pray

Rema-Rema - Wheel In the Roses (1980)

This is a wonderfully quaint little post-punk EP. This album might sound a bit familiar if you follow the blog. That's because Mass, an exquisite group that I shared here some time earlier, was born from the ashes of Rema-Rema, and have a lot of the same members. It has the same dark and delirious tone to it that Labour of Love had, and it's equally charming and captivating. It's great, noisy hectic post-punk that you should listen to right now.

There's no light at the end of it all
Let's all sit down and cry
There's not light at the beginning
Let's all sit down and cry

Blurt - Blurt + Singles (2009)

Wonderful comp from the epileptic jazz-punk trio Blurt which includes their self titled album and a few of their singles from the early 80s. It's a really hyper, energetic, yet simple album, just repetitive lyrics chanted (or screamed) a few times, followed by some gorgeous sax molestation and other somewhat post-punky sounding instrumentals. The album is just real catchy and fun to just listen and sing along (or dance like youre having a seizure) to, it's best played loudly.

The fish needs a bike
The fish needs a bike

Anthony Braxton- 3 Compositions of New Jazz [1968]

A friend of mine once astutely noted that Anthony Braxton was the Modern Classical equivalent of the jazz world (which would make Art Tatum the Classical Era equivalent, if you enjoy extending analogies too far).  Graphical notation and a penchant for unique instrumental combinations that lead to slanted, atonal eddies of sound adequately sums up most of Braxton’s career, although such a superficial description is a disservice to the iconoclast.  His first release before the solo improvisational For Alto, 3 Compositions of New Jazz finds Braxton arriving at the logical conclusion of the then blossoming free jazz movement.  Ditching the archetypal rhythm section for the occasional expressionist drumming and atmospheric accoutrements, Braxton and his fellow musicians create a complex web of conversation amongst one another.  The indecipherably named first track revolves around the lovely vocal melody laid out at the beginning of the record, yet quickly spirals into a display of raw instrumentation and interplay.  Braxton’s music is as free as free jazz can get, yet still possesses the mathematical intricacy of the Modern Classical music he often cited as influence.  But don’t be misled: Braxton’s jazz is still visceral and mysterious in its outré display of emotion.  Much like his cryptic composition names, this music possesses depth that reveals itself only after intense scrutiny, and even then still might come off as obtuse.  A must-listen for anyone who is a fan of boldly unique music. 


LA LEEE LAAA LALALAAAA

Lost Flood - Lost Flood [2011]

Lost Flood’s eponymous cassette brings together some filthily lo-fi black metal that borders on noise. Sloppily recorded drums crash on in the background over needle-thin walls of guitar noise and tortured howls from Peter McGee, who wrote and played all the music on this tape. McGee manages to bring together the repetitive drumming of atmospheric black metal and extremely noisy tremolo guitar riffs that combined create a truly dark and haunting atmosphere that is only exacerbated by the layers of noise obscuring the music .“Hunter’s Eyes” is among the best tracks here, devolving from Lost Flood’s hellishly raw and low-fidelity black metal into bursts of feedback that die out slowly as the track fades out. It's not a particularly long tape, but well worth checking out for those interested in some of the most abrasive and gloomily atmospheric blackened noise on offer from the british isles.

The Deep Freeze Mice - My Geraniums are Bulletproof (1979)

Some blissfully sarcastic and cheerful post-punk. Self-published band, The Deep Freeze Mice, made and released this incredibly solid and staple post-punk album for just £500. The album sums up post-punk as a genre really well: It's just a crazy deconstruction of the punk rock genre. The last track is also worth mentioning, it's a peculiar 27 minute long track that just goes all over the place, it's probably my favorite song off the album. It's a great album for anyone trying to get into post-punk, but because of it's relative obscurity it's a great gem to listen to if you're already a fan of the genre.

I can see both sides
But I can't see which is real
I can see both sides
But which is real